About Herbal Tea

Herbal tea, also called herb tea or a tisane, or less commonly, an herbal infusion, is a drink made by infusing the parts of a plant with water, usually hot water. Herbal teas are extremely diverse (arguably more so than proper tea) as they encompass any infusions that do not contain the tea plant (Camelia sinensis). Blends containing the tea plant together with other plants are classified as flavored teas.

Some of the most popular ingredients in herbal teas include mint and chamomile. Both of these herbs are frequently consumed as teas on their own, or blended into herbal tea blends. Fruit and spices are also common ingredients in herbal teas.

Rooibos and honeybush are two plants that, while they do not contain caffeine, are often compared to the tea plant, and which have generated traditions paralleling that of tea drinking.

Caffeine

Most herbal teas are caffeine free, although there are a few plants other than the tea plant which contain caffeine, including yerba maté and the yaupon holly. Cocoa, an occasional ingredient in herbal teas, also contains small amounts of caffeine. A more comprehensive discussion of this topic can be found on our page on herbal teas containing caffeine.

Wellness & medicinal teas

Some herbal teas are used primarily for medicinal purposes; RateTea classifies these as wellness teas and reserves this category for teas that are viewed primarily as a beverage--although many do have health benefits and other health effects.

Best Herbal Tea

The notion of the "best" Herbal Tea is subjective, because different people have different tastes. We present the most often-rated and highest-rated teas in this category, and allow you to draw your own conclusions.